They went a good pace in this two-and-a-half-mile contest and the complexion of the race changed on numerous occasions in the home straight, but it produced a cracking finish with nostrils rather than lengths separating the first four at the line.

Philip Hobbs' Liberate, who was always in the firing line, went to the front under Jamie Spencer and he appeared to have made a winning move just over two furlongs out.

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Sam Hitchcott (red cap) does enough to make sure Missoula takes the spoils

Then the Michael Jarvis-trained Bukit Tinggi hit full stride and looked as though he was going to complete a hat-trick just over a furlong out, but the rallying Liberate got his head back in front, while Missoula and Mamlook were both powering home under Sam Hitchcott and Ryan Moore respectively.

It was the nose-banded Missoula who came out on top, beating Mamlook by a head with Liberate a short head adrift in third and Bukit Tinggi a close-up fourth.